Magnitude of ecotourism in Costa Rica and Kenya

An examination of ecotourism patterns within Costa Rica and Kenya reveals differential magnitudes across an array of relevant criteria. If measured in terms of specialized accommodations, visits by specialist ecotourists, direct social and economic impact, activity space, or government investment, ecotourism is a relatively miner activity. More congruent with the popular image of these two countries as high profile ecotourism destinations are total tourist activity time, ecotourism as a visitor motivation, and indirect revenue generation, all of which are substantial or major. It is argued that this touristic form of development and practice exists in a symbiotic relationship with mass tourism, and the more intensive types should be considered as a type of the latter. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.